strâng

Sträng is a Swedish word with several related meanings. As a noun it most commonly denotes a string, cord, or rope—an elongated, flexible element used to bind, suspend, or transmit vibration. It can also refer to a single string on a musical instrument, or to a sequence of items linked together. In computing, sträng is used to translate “string” as a sequence of characters in programming. As an adjective, sträng means strict or stringent and is used to describe rules, conditions, or behavior.

In everyday language, sträng is used for cords and threads, such as a cotton string or a rope. In music, it designates any string of a stringed instrument; together with the term stränginstrument it describes families like guitars, violins, and cellos. The tension and tuning of a sträng determine pitch and timbre.

In science, the Swedish term for “string” is sträng. In physics, strängteori refers to string theory, an area of theoretical physics that models fundamental particles as one-dimensional objects.

Etymology and cognates: the word is cognate with Danish streng and Norwegian streng, both meaning a rope or string, reflecting a long Germanic lineage.